Mexican Customs - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Iceman · 02-17-2014, 04:39 PM

I used to do a lot of quail hunting when I lived in SD and did a pretty thorough job of removing all the loose shotgun shells strewn throughout the back seat. My first trip down past Puerticitos with Tobey about 12 years ago and the federales found a single shell that lead to them looking hard enough to find 2 more. Talk about scared shitless, I thought i was going to end up in a mexican jail for sure. They were assured it was unintentional and that I had no weapons and let me go after letting me sweat it out for about 1/2 hour. They pointed at the Coca cola on my seat and I said help your self, they pointed at the little Debbie Snack cakes and I handed em that too. Talk about getting off easy! I was watching the rear view mirror the whole way to the Mexicali border.

Baja_Traveler · 02-18-2014, 08:28 AM

Yea, no kidding on the ammo - even spent casings.

A week after going through the Calexico crossing I discovered 50 rounds of loaded .204 ammo in one of my truck compartments that I'd forgotten about from a prairie dog shoot six months earlier. Really glad that nobody stopped me to inspect at the border. Good lesson for me though - I go through the truck with a fine tooth comb now before any trip...

SDROB · 02-18-2014, 08:47 AM

I always say no guns, no drugs, no problems however Im gonna have to rethink that. Im lucky the potato wasn't loaded!

jorluivil · 02-18-2014, 08:47 AM

The only issue I ever had was at a military checkpoint, I was on my way home from fishing in Ensenada. After crossing the last toll booth going north I was asked to pull over at the military checkpoint. They asked me the usual questions and also asked me to exit the vehicle. I exit the vehicle and as soon as I do they start going through every part of the cab, they even checked under the dash and checked to see if the door panels had been tampered with. While I was standing outside of my truck one of the kids, I say kid because he looked like he was 12, was walking around my truck banging on the panels, fender, doors, etc. with what looked like a broken car antenna. As soon as I noticed what he was doing he was quick to react and says, 'Tienes un problema'? (do you have a problem?). Being the tuff guy that I am I quickly responded 'no' and stepped away from the truck so that he could beat on it some more. He didn't damage any part of it but it was obvious that they were trying to intimidate me or get me to react in a way that would give them a reason to keep me longer or take me away. As soon as they found the cokes and water bottles in the ice chest things went much smoother

.

The whole thing latest no more than 5minutes but it felt like I was there a lifetime.

janines.fishtales@cox.net · 02-19-2014, 09:38 AM

So can you not even bring a fishing knife, cooking knives, the leatherman that's always attached to my kayak?

Janine

ful-rac · 02-19-2014, 09:40 AM

Coooookkking knives are ok

GregAndrew · 02-19-2014, 09:47 AM

Janine, we were schooled in that question by one of the inspectors last time I crossed with Tony. The gal asked about the filet knives on the floor of his truck. We responded that they were filet knives, used for cleaning fish. To which she responded " Oh, so they are cooking knives?". We tried to correct her "No, they are used to clean fish". Her " Oh, ok cooking knives right?" To which we finally said, "Yes cooking knives". So the answer is that they are all cooking knives.

SDROB · 02-19-2014, 09:54 AM

"So the answer is that they are all cooking knives."

Thanks for the insight Greg! I have been wanting to take some filet knives down but was unsure of the policy. That makes perfect sense. I wonder if I could say the same for my Machete

tattuna · 02-19-2014, 10:01 AM

I had a friend who got a great deal on some lobsters and tried to bring them back. Federales found them at the check point and confiscated all their fishing gear. When one of my friends started raising hell the federale said "If you want to make a big deal about it I'll confiscate your truck too!"

Another friend got caught with a pocket knife. Nearly went to jail but they let him go.

Know the laws and obey them and you should be alright.

dorado50 · 02-19-2014, 09:56 AM

Take the "no risk way"......store all knives away from yourself. Pack them in suitcase or whatever and keep in back seat or trunk. Any knife found near you in car is subject to interpretation. Do it right or take your chances.

02-17-2014, 04:39 PM	#1
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	I used to do a lot of quail hunting when I lived in SD and did a pretty thorough job of removing all the loose shotgun shells strewn throughout the back seat. My first trip down past Puerticitos with Tobey about 12 years ago and the federales found a single shell that lead to them looking hard enough to find 2 more. Talk about scared shitless, I thought i was going to end up in a mexican jail for sure. They were assured it was unintentional and that I had no weapons and let me go after letting me sweat it out for about 1/2 hour. They pointed at the Coca cola on my seat and I said help your self, they pointed at the little Debbie Snack cakes and I handed em that too. Talk about getting off easy! I was watching the rear view mirror the whole way to the Mexicali border. __________________

02-18-2014, 08:47 AM	#3
SDROB Malibu Stealth 12 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hollywood, San Diego, Gonzaga Bay Posts: 512	I always say no guns, no drugs, no problems however Im gonna have to rethink that. Im lucky the potato wasn't loaded! __________________ She will keep you warm in the winter and give you shade in the summer (Rossman) I'm telling ya, you have to keep these suckers on a game clip until just before you drop them in the frying pan.(Rossman)

02-18-2014, 08:47 AM	#4
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	The only issue I ever had was at a military checkpoint, I was on my way home from fishing in Ensenada. After crossing the last toll booth going north I was asked to pull over at the military checkpoint. They asked me the usual questions and also asked me to exit the vehicle. I exit the vehicle and as soon as I do they start going through every part of the cab, they even checked under the dash and checked to see if the door panels had been tampered with. While I was standing outside of my truck one of the kids, I say kid because he looked like he was 12, was walking around my truck banging on the panels, fender, doors, etc. with what looked like a broken car antenna. As soon as I noticed what he was doing he was quick to react and says, 'Tienes un problema'? (do you have a problem?). Being the tuff guy that I am I quickly responded 'no' and stepped away from the truck so that he could beat on it some more. He didn't damage any part of it but it was obvious that they were trying to intimidate me or get me to react in a way that would give them a reason to keep me longer or take me away. As soon as they found the cokes and water bottles in the ice chest things went much smoother. The whole thing latest no more than 5minutes but it felt like I was there a lifetime. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

02-19-2014, 09:38 AM	#5
janines.fishtales@cox.net Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 555	the usual items for fishing... So can you not even bring a fishing knife, cooking knives, the leatherman that's always attached to my kayak? Janine __________________ Fishtales

02-19-2014, 09:40 AM	#6
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Coooookkking knives are ok __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

02-18-2014, 08:28 AM	#2
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	Yea, no kidding on the ammo - even spent casings. A week after going through the Calexico crossing I discovered 50 rounds of loaded .204 ammo in one of my truck compartments that I'd forgotten about from a prairie dog shoot six months earlier. Really glad that nobody stopped me to inspect at the border. Good lesson for me though - I go through the truck with a fine tooth comb now before any trip...

02-19-2014, 09:47 AM	#7
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Janine, we were schooled in that question by one of the inspectors last time I crossed with Tony. The gal asked about the filet knives on the floor of his truck. We responded that they were filet knives, used for cleaning fish. To which she responded " Oh, so they are cooking knives?". We tried to correct her "No, they are used to clean fish". Her " Oh, ok cooking knives right?" To which we finally said, "Yes cooking knives". So the answer is that they are all cooking knives.

02-19-2014, 09:54 AM	#8
SDROB Malibu Stealth 12 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hollywood, San Diego, Gonzaga Bay Posts: 512	"So the answer is that they are all cooking knives." Thanks for the insight Greg! I have been wanting to take some filet knives down but was unsure of the policy. That makes perfect sense. I wonder if I could say the same for my Machete __________________ She will keep you warm in the winter and give you shade in the summer (Rossman) I'm telling ya, you have to keep these suckers on a game clip until just before you drop them in the frying pan.(Rossman)

02-19-2014, 10:01 AM	#9
tattuna Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pasadena Posts: 329	I had a friend who got a great deal on some lobsters and tried to bring them back. Federales found them at the check point and confiscated all their fishing gear. When one of my friends started raising hell the federale said "If you want to make a big deal about it I'll confiscate your truck too!" Another friend got caught with a pocket knife. Nearly went to jail but they let him go. Know the laws and obey them and you should be alright. __________________ IG @tattuna

02-19-2014, 09:56 AM	#10
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	Take the "no risk way"......store all knives away from yourself. Pack them in suitcase or whatever and keep in back seat or trunk. Any knife found near you in car is subject to interpretation. Do it right or take your chances.